State Police: Clay shooting wasn’t random

CLAY, W.Va. — Clay County State Police Troopers say the man shot and killed in his garden Tuesday was the victim of a shotgun blast.

State Police Captain David Lemmon said Wednesday Clarence Jack Stone, 65, of Indore, died of those shotgun wounds to the torso. Lemmon says State Troopers have spoken with a person of interest.

“We have interviewed persons of interest, person, but again we are going through, as with any case, possible motives. You don’t want to get tunnel vision, remain objective,” Lemmon said.

Troopers don’t believe the shooting was random.

Stone was a lifelong Clay County resident who spent some of his leisure time in the community of Hartland Bottom where he tended a garden with another man. Captain Lemmon said Wednesday it’s possible someone saw the shooting or knew of a dispute Stone was having.

“We’re urging anyone in the community having that knowledge or information that could lead to a successful prosecution to contact the Clay State Police Detachment,” Lemmon said.

Evidence in the case has been sent to the State Police Crime Lab. Troopers continued to conduct interviews Wednesday.